Seth, Ryan, and Marissa entered the Cohen house silently. "Oh, hi guys" Kirsten said looking up from her magazine. "Did you see Summer off?"

"Yep, back to New York she flies" Marissa said. They sat down on the couch in front of Kirsten and exchanged looks.

"Well, schools starting in 2 days. Are you all excited?" They could tell she was desperate for conversation, and gave her the "are you kidding me" look.

"Right…of course your not. Look guys, this is your senior year. I know it's going to be hard not having Summer around anymore, but please don't waste this last year away because of it. This year you start thinking about colleges and…"

Kirsten kept rambling and the 3 teens looked at each other. They knew they couldn't leave when she was talking, so they focused their ears back in on her motherly advice.

"…and if you try really hard you could get scholarships to any school you like maybe even graduate high school with honors." Kirsten looked at them.

"We're going to try really hard" Ryan said, trying anything to be able to leave the room.

"Well good. Now, Marissa, you're welcome to stay for dinner. I'm gonna go order it right now"

"Thanks Kirsten"

Kirsten said "Sure honey" and waltzed into the kitchen.

"College?" Marissa asked.

"Scholarships?" Ryan added.

"Graduating with honors?" Seth asked, looking puzzled.

"I guess I never thought senior year would be like this" Marissa said looking at them both.

"What, hard and confusing, life alternating and boring. Or without Summer?" Seth asked

"I guess both"

Silence settled in the living room. There was so much to think about in the next 9 months of school. There were colleges to think about, grades to actually be concerned about, and a friend they'd be lost without.

Airplane

Summer held the sea shell in her hand, occasionally looking at it and remembering the night before. How her and Cohen had just danced in the rain for like an hour, not caring that they were getting drenched. It was actually the closest she'd ever felt to him.

She couldn't believe she'd actually made it out of Newport without telling anyone. She really couldn't believe she hadn't told Marissa. But if she had told Marissa before Seth, she'd never forgive herself. Of course at the moment she already didn't like herself. Lying to everyone she'd ever cared about just made her sick. And of course she still had to tell her father about it. She knew that wouldn't roll over well.

She grabbed a piece of paper and pen from her purse and, instead of telling her father in person, wrote a very heart-felt letter. She basically just rambled, used the word 'sorry' about twenty times, and ended the letter with an 'I love you'

She couldn't tell him face-to-face. She couldn't look in his eyes and see disappointment. She'd never had to do that before, and she hoped she never would.

Harbor--1st day of school

The three-some sat at their usual lunchtime table and talked about their classes so far. There was an awkwardness they all not dare bring up, and that was the fact that their table was for four, and there was only three this year.

"Algebra B is going to kick my butt" Marissa said digging in her food.

"What is this stuff anyways?" Seth asked, picking at the slimy mixture on his plate.

"I think it's supposed to be lasagna" Ryan said.

"With beans in it?" Marissa asked, pushing her plate away. "Anyways, I'm gonna go" she said, giving Ryan a quick kiss and leaving.

"So, how's it going with…" Ryan started to say, but Seth interrupted. "…with Summer being gone? Absolutely terrible. It's like so boring around here."

"You weren't dating her at the beginning of last year…somehow you managed" Ryan said sipping his milk.

"Yeah but that's because I could admire from a distance. Now she's like nowhere to be seen"

New York--1st day of school

Summer pushed through the halls thick with people, and finally reached her locker. Man, this place was so different from Harbor. For one, she was no longer in a private school. She'd gone public.

The halls smelled of sour milk, the walls were an awful green color, and you had to be searched before you entered the school. It was awful.

She pulled the squeaky locker door open and found leftovers from the last year's owner of locker 194. A condom, a tampon, and a pack of cigarettes. How they managed to get past the security guards with the cigarettes she wasn't sure.

"Hey honey, you want me to walk you to class?"

Summer looked to her side to see a guy, greasy haired, baggy shorts, and an oversized tee. "Eww"

"Don't be hatin, honey" He reached to touch her arm and Summer back up.

"Thanks, but I can find my way" She glared and walked off, hearing various whistles. They wouldn't last long, because once she started showing no one would want anything to do with her, thankfully.

Summer looked around the dirty school building. There was no way she was going to make it through this year.